Hi Lauren, That's probably the biggest utility room I've seen on a house of this size! I think its a bit over kill and being right in the centre of your house it will clog up the flow and make the house feel disjointed. In order to have a functional house with good flow and lots of natural light you are going to have to rethink the whole floor plan. I don't think the split level idea is worth considering unless your ceilings are very low. Random steps in the house look great magazine pictures and in some limited scenarios are useful but they are not practical for kids, prams, elderly, disabled and the poor delivery guy that has to deliver your washing machine and take away the old one! You've just added an unnecessary trip hazard to your home. I would instead consider raising the patio at a later date when finances allow. In a house of this size a single level floor is safer, will make your house feel more open and coherent. So firstly I think you need a new tape measure! I couldn't work with any of your measurements. None of them add up! I had to base the plans on the measurements the architect labelled and work from there. So my solution for your house is a simple one but I think it will have a big impact and that is to change the stairs from straight to quarter turn at the bottom... Now you can utilise the space next to the front door and I would use this space for the wc. The next few steps could be omitted if the budget is too tight but I do think they would really make your house work well for you. I would build a small porch and remove the existing front door and opening. I would place the coat closet/ storage in the porch. I would reduce the size of the living room by extending the hall by the amount of space taken by the WC. This would create a spacious entrance great for prams, school bags, and shopping trips etc. I think the lounge should be small and cosy, used for watching Tv, reading, quiet time etc. I would remove a large section of the lounge wall and replace with a sliding wall or glazed doors. This means you can have the whole house open plan when you want it that way and the lounge closed off when you want a quiet cosy space. I'm not sure why you say you need a side entrance but I've left it in and created a small utility entrance with storage there. I would move the washing machine and dryer under the stairs. (I have made doors are transparent in the drawings to show their location). I would remove the living room window as I think with the bi fold and the huge skylight, the window is unecessary, as it faces a wall so won't be adding much to the light levels in the house. This leaves the remaining area completely open plan and able to accommodate a large kitchen with island and bar stool seating with 8, extending to 10 seater dining table and a comfortable lounge area. The thinking behind this layout was to take all the centralised "utility" area and divide it up and place it along the edges of the house, freeing up the centre for a spacious open plan living area. If you consider the porch storage, side entrance, wc and washer/dryer stack area, you actually have more "utility" area than before, but here it goes unnoticed and doesn't clog up the flow of the house. The sliding wall, along with the spread out utilities would help create a home where you and your husband get what you both want from it. With the sliding wall open, a large spacious home with great sight lines through out and utilities that aren't in your face. And with it closed, the same spacious home with lots of useful storage and utility space, and a nice quiet retreat to get away from it all. Sliding wall closed: Sliding wall open:

If you want to submit the application with the drawings above, I'm not sure this would do. I'd recognise that it's not a common garden so it would require some proper drawings to explain the existing situation in relation to the new proposal (maybe you have some already), especially if you want to convince them it's PD. Also consider having a survey done to get the apropriate slope and height points. A 6m extension is a relatively long one so it get's more sensible with the PD here, especialy in your case. Consider a full application as well - the extra timing and cost may be worth the size of extension you want to achieve. Another solution would be to drop the whole level with a few steps (if it's something you'd like). This will also help mititgate for the height at the end of the proposed extension. Hope any of the above helps.

Regarding building up the party wall: That's between yourself and your neighbour; the council / planning authorities will not concern themselves with it. Building regulations would apply (a party wall likely is a firebreak and so certain rules apply how to construct it - not sure it can be a normal cavity wall). You should seek a party wall agreement detailing this, and check with building control in advance that the proposed construction detail is valid. From what I know, the "45 degree rule" comes from "right-of-light" (planning doesn't concern itself with that, but other rights apply, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rights-to-light or https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/rights-to-light/). If your house is south of your neighbour, a two-story extension takes natural light away from their windows. It's a "legally grey" area from my understanding; so potential fun for the legal profession.

Hi Nicolas! Costs vary wildly across the country. Rule of thumb estimates for new-build space currently are between £1,800 - 2,600, but of course detailed decisions will massively affect this. For example if you have a carrera marble kitchen worktop it's going to cost a lot more than a laminate one - multiply that by making lots of other more costly choices and it can easily double and more. So you can only take these figures as a guideline. Don't forget to put a figure against spaces that you are looking to refurbish too. I would tend to use the lower estimate per square meter for refurbished space and the higher estimate for new-build and kitchens / bathrooms - because they tend to have more expensive fittings and finishes than other spaces. Best to estimate high from the outset and be comfortable financially than to estimate low and struggle to achieve what you want. Once you've completed your purchase and you're looking for help with your designs I can help you with my sketch design package - the Big Picture Plan. You can find out more about that here: https://www.i-architect.co.uk/bpp.html I recommend that you live in the property for at least 3-6 months before making alterations so that you make the right changes for you. Best wishes with your home designs! Jane award winning chartered architect eco-home and conservation area specialist www.i-architect.co.uk